11 Feb
2007
11 Feb
'07
1:10 a.m.
At 02:04 PM 2/10/2007, you wrote:
Of course I watch Antiques Road Show on PBS and get upset when a 200 year
old item is only worth a few thousand... ; )
I think computers and computer related equipment are a little
different. Sure it is nice to OWN an original but the goal shouldn't be to
own exclusive control of information or buying something because of what it
contains (with the intention of not sharing). I know of a few collectors
who have manuals or other vintage computer related items who do not want
them scanned or copied because it would reduce the value if their
collection. It really annoys me but there is not much that I can do. ;
) I have other friends in the vintage computer community who own very
valuable and rare items and have loaned them to me with the understanding
that I wanted them to duplicate them. They were more concerned with
shipping damage than anything else. ; )
For a while now I've owned by accident what amounts to the prototypes of
the first computer controlled analog synth. I'd like to think the items
are WORTH something being original, but that is NOT going to stop me from
scanning all of the pages and PCBs.
I made the Altair Kit with the same intentions. I was only somewhat
worried that I would get hate mail from people accusing me of diluting
Altairs or lowering the value of Altairs. So it was pretty funny when
someone suggested that in 10 years my Altair might be worth more as there
will be less in circulation. ; ) So far no hate mail! : )
I have provided so far 21 people with 100% functional Altair replicas,
pending assembly... Out of the Altairs I've seen on ebay, it is easy to
see that maybe 10% work. Thats good for a collector who wants it behind
glass, bad for an experimenter. ; ) The kit comes with a guarantee that
as a last resort the unit can be shipped to me with prepaid return
shipping. It will be returned working.
Oh well, enough for now...
Grant
Once something
winds up in a museum or someone's
collection, you can consider it lost essentially.
With a few notable exceptions.
I commented to him about something in the past,
and
got back a hate filled response from him and would never buy
anything from this guy.
There is a VERY special place in Hell reserved for
"New Beginnings Antiques"
I would be very surprised if CHM doesn't have a copy
of this. I'll see what I can do about getting it scanned.